[Histonet] HT/HTL practical exam - different opinion

From:

tracy.bergeron@crl.com

I learned histology as a 1/2 semester independent study while I was in
college, back in the early 90's. I figured I would learn it to use as a
back up career. Little did I know it would end up as a career.
But 99.9% of my experience was OJT, and all of my OJT was with
animal tissue. I have always worked in veterinary and research fields of
histology. (pays better than clinical - at least in New England anyway)
This experience leaves one at a definitely disadvantage when it
comes to certification. As far as I know the ACVP has no interest for
what ever reason, in offering it's own histology certification programs.
So those of us with no human tissue experience who want to get certified
are stuck, figuratively speaking, taking the ASCP cert. exams.
I am not saying this is a bad thing, but when it comes to taking
the practical examination, it can be very difficult to get tissues that
fit the size requirements when all the tissue you have access to is from
rodents, and occasionally something a little larger. I was lucky enough
to have some contacts and was able to get the human tissue needed for both
of my practicals, but I have heard of others who have not had such an easy
time.
By eliminating the practical, in some respects it partially levels
the playing field between techs trained in the veterinary and research
communities and those trained in a clinical setting. All of the
information for the computer examination can be found in text books, and
the internet. There is still a lot of information on both exams (more in
the HTL than HT), that puts the clinical trained tech at an advantage to
the veterinary/research tech. There were a lot of things I had to learn
for both exams that I will probably never have to deal with, worry about,
or even know, as I have no interest in entering a clinical environment.
Now I am in no way complaining about the exams, leaning towards
one area above the other because the exams are offered by the ASCP a
clinical pathology organization. But at least the veterinary/research
folks no longer have to scrounge for tissues to fit the size requirements
which are based on human tissue.
Figured I would send out a different opinion on the practical.
Tracy E. Bergeron, BS, HT, HTL (ASCP)
Histotechnologist
Charles River Laboratories
Wilmington, MA
978-658-6000 x 1229
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